So, there I was—a free warrior in the middle of a field.

Beneath the shade of a tree, I bit into an apple, and with the other hand, I pulled out the letter from the Zora. Detailed instructions described the way to Zora's Domain, a land surrounded by wetlands and rivers. Mountains appeared in the distance, sure enough, just as outlined. I was headed the right way.

And, the Zora would be expecting me, which helped. After our talk, Jisso sent a reply letter to them, detailing who was coming. He told them I was a warrior hired by the coalition, one he knew would serve the Zora better than any of the coalition members could. I didn't know if he told them to expect a woman, or even a boyish looking woman. But they would expect me.

In an opposite way, though, none of my fellow coalition members knew I wouldn't be returning. Jisso promised me that.

"When you leave, you never have to return. To us, you'll have died in battle."

It seemed harsh. I never imagined leaving in that kind of way. There weren't many cleaner ways to go, not that I had expected the departure to be without struggle. But being lied about, being presumed dead—that felt a bit wrong to me. But Jisso didn't give me much of a say. He wanted to protect me.

I mounted my horse. Just across the clearing, I could see the reflections of the sun in water. Monsters were congregated around a bonfire off to the side. Something else seemed to be dancing in the air, its steps glowing. I wondered how fast my horse was.

Time to see.

"Hah!"

She started fast. Water splashed under her hooves. The monsters caught wind of us, but we were long gone faster than they could pick up weapons. No problems. I slowed her again.

I had managed to avoid fighting this whole trip. That was my usual goal for missions of any sort. I wasn't going to fight if I didn't have to. There was no point wasting energy or time, or even risking my life, over something insignificant. I had more important things to get to.

As the mountains neared, I was becoming more and more uncertain. The Zora knew to expect me, but I didn't know what to expect from them. Even if they knew I was coming, I couldn't imagine they would like me for doing so. Some part of me was afraid of that. They asked for a warrior, sure, but that didn't mean they wanted one on their land. I couldn't win, it seemed.

But, there was a possibility that my information was wrong. Jisso and the other members of the coalition thought of the Zora as these isolationist fish-people who hated Hylians, but if they were truly isolationist, there was no accurate way for us to know if they hated Hylians. I could arrive there and find they were welcoming and hospitable.

Ahead of me, a large body of water spread far and wide. There were no shallow parts I could cross easily. Instead, there were rudimentary wooden bridges. But they weren't the kind made by any Hylian. They were built in the same style as the monsters from before, decorated with bones, skulls, and stolen fabric. All across their length, creatures stood guard.

Somehow, I had to charge across a narrow bridge on a horse.

It wasn't a good idea. From its conception, there were many problems with it. It put my horse in danger, for one; two, it was all in an effort to get across quickly, which wasn't really possible with a horse on a twisting, turning bridge, no matter how you tried to go about it. But I didn't want them to take my steed, and I didn't want to fight. So, I made a stupid decision.

I charged, full canter.

The bridge heaved under her weight. Her hooves were alarms to the monsters. They perked up, seeing us from afar almost immediately.

I only had a sword and spear.

I got my horse to a run. The bridge was a straightaway now. The monsters were running toward me. I pulled my sword out. I could get a few. I hoped.

On my left.

I leaned over and down. The bokoblin tried. I was coming too fast. One strike knocked it off the bridge.

Larger ones ahead. They were ready. Horns blared. My heart beat faster. My spear. I took it from my back. Sheathed my sword. Switched to my right hand. Faster. I was flying. Took aim and threw. It hit the lizalfo's chest. It fell over, but not for long. More came up behind it. I couldn't jump. My horse reared.

"Woah!" I cried. She whinnied, spooked. My voice climbed, monsters screeching. "Woah!" Stones came out of nowhere. I shouted. She turned. A rock hit her face. She jumped.

We landed hard in the water. My head came up, and hers was barely above the surface. Her eyes wild, her neighs screaming, I grabbed her, trying to find reins. Rocks rained down on us. An arrow whizzed past.

Just then, we were surrounded by people. Fish-people.

All of a sudden, we were traveling fast, away from the bridges. I could barely breathe, the adrenaline causing me to freeze up. At the other side, I finally touched the sand of the bank. My horse bounded out of the water, running down the shore, dripping wet. I was soaked and cold.

"Are you alright?" asked a female voice. I looked up, and a blue scaly hand reached down toward me.

"Yeah," I said. Her face was surrounded by hanging blue fins. She helped me stand, and I realized that, while she stood in the water, she was still taller than me. I wiped my wet bangs out of my face.

"Are you the warrior promised by the Hylian coalition?"

"Yes."

Her face became confused. "But you're not Hylian." Her eyes were golden with slits for pupils. She looked like a human, just taller and with fins.

"No, I'm not."

She looked disappointed. "That's okay. But you're the warrior, then." I wasn't sure what to think now.

"The path is just up ahead, across that bridge," she said, pointing toward a path. Already, she was retreating into the water. "We'll meet you at the entrance, don't worry."

I turned to my horse, and she spoke up again.

"You'll have to leave that here."

I stared at her.

"There are no horses in Zora's Domain," she said. "I'm sorry. It would be unwise to bring her."

I looked down. "Okay." With that, the Zora disappeared into the water, and I was alone again. My horse was all I really had left. I couldn't leave her alone here. Those monsters were only a hundred yards away.

Quickly, I led her as far away as I could from them and hid her near a forest. It was the best I could do. Then, with a sigh, I turned my sights to the mountains.

Did I even want to go?

It was obvious they were expecting a Hylian. So, Jisso hadn't even told them who I really was. He didn't want to prime them for disappointment, and yet, it was already happening. I didn't understand it, but I knew I wasn't the hero they were hoping for. They looked right at me and knew. What more could I offer?

My fists balled, I started down the path. If anything, I could prove that I wasn't totally incompetent. I had to get up that mountain.

About halfway up, I had gotten shocked a couple times already and was beginning to think none of this was worth it.

Why was it so difficult?

They wanted help, and here I was, struggling to even get into their domain. It was just like the rest of the world, though. It was no different. Since I was a child, I had traveled the world. And, in those travels, I learned exactly what the world was: the more you knew about it, the less happy it was.

Why was this place any different? Why was I even here? Beyond what Jisso had asked of me, why was I even trying to spread a message I didn't believe in?

Jisso should have come himself. He should have spread his own message. I should have never agreed.

The cry of a lizalfo jolted me out of my thoughts. I picked up and ran, full speed. Forget that I wasn't a great warrior or a symbol of hope. I couldn't be either of those things. I didn't want to be any of that. I just wanted to live.

I slammed hard against the bridge. My legs wouldn't move. They felt like jelly.

When I looked across the floor, I could see my own blood smeared across the blue of the bridge. It seemed I was here. Before my fall, I couldn't see across the bridge. It was too long, and the fog was thick. Or maybe that was just my vision.

"Miss Warrior."

The female voice from before hovered above my head.

"Are you alright? Can you stand?"

I was a disappointment.

"Come, and we will get you healed, Miss Warrior."

"My name," I sputtered. Hands began to lift me up, but I could barely see. "I'm Amon. Not much of a warrior."

She didn't reply.